Really wanted to buy BLT but.... need more points .. SSR?

[Kim Gillihan]

OK.. I own 180 points at AKV... I really wanted to own at BLT but price are so high... I have gone back and forth for a year now and I am considering just buying SSR due to price point being so much more reasonable.. I almost think I may never buy BLT due to price.. and the extra points I am willing to buy at SSR will help me. Aulani... other resorts in summer time will still be available, HH.. etc. We are staying at SSR 3 nights in a 2 bed before Thanksgiving, so I will get to try it out, I found a contact around 100 pts.. I think that may be perfect to give me just under 300 total.

Thoughts?

Thanks! KIM

 

[D-Trick]

My own personal thoughts on this one: I'd rather pay MORE for what I want than to pay my desired price but get a less desired product. Now, I understand that doesn't matter when we're talking about using BLT/SSR points at the 7 month window at other properties, but you said "I really wanted to own at BLT".

1/3/5/10 years down the road, you may regret this decision and be screaming at yourself -- "I should have just bought that BLT contract back then!"

Good luck!

 

[MrInfinity]

If you really want BLT, buy there. SSR is not a substitute. It's not close to anything, requires buses to go anywhere and lacks most of the benefits of BLT. Yes prices keep going up but Bay Lake will forever be next to the Magic Kingdom. If that's where you want to be then buy fewer points and get BLT. If you aren't into SSR, you'll own many years worth of wishing your points were based somewhere else.

 

[momto3pirates]

Buy where you want to stay. Home resort priority is becoming more and more important. Also you get a longer contract with a higher resale value.

 

[zavandor]

I'm going against the flow. Why do you want BLT? Do you want Theme Park View or visit during fall madness? Otherwise buy SSR, you can still book BLT lake view most of the year. With SSR it woild be as cheap as booking standard, which is not a given anyway at 11 months. And the SSR points would be cheaper to sleep around.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I'm going against the flow. Why do you want BLT? Do you want Theme Park View or visit during fall madness? Otherwise buy SSR, you can still book BLT lake view most of the year. With SSR it woild be as cheap as booking standard, which is not a given anyway at 11 months. And the SSR points would be cheaper to sleep around.

Thats my point!! It would be great to have blt to have 11 month booking but...the issue is you need to buy more BLT points to use at 11 months... but if say I combine my akv and ssr points ... I can buy say 100 ssr points to go with my 180 akv and combine. but due to the others opinions, I agree they have a good way of looking at it too.. I have been waiting. this is a luxury not a necessity and I just don't know if I can justify having to buy that many more blt points which is almost double what I would spend if I just added ssr.. not sure if I am making sense.

I have even looked into just using blt points and banking etc... and that is an option, just buy 100 and bank and borrow etc. AHHHH

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Buy where you want to stay. Home resort priority is becoming more and more important. Also you get a longer contract with a higher resale value.

I hear ya.. ugh so many factors

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I appreciate all the opinions and advice!! I am so torn and have been for over a year on what to do here... I hear what you all are saying and it does make sense... I will keep thinking on this... if I only buy 100 blt points... that may be the option that doesn't have me spending double... but I am still spending at least 3500 more for blt.... so I have to figure that out.. is it worth it? Maybe.. not sure.. we really like getting 2 bedrooms and taking family or friends...

 

[E2ME2]

I appreciate all the opinions and advice!! I am so torn and have been for over a year on what to do here... I hear what you all are saying and it does make sense... I will keep thinking on this... if I only buy 100 blt points... that may be the option that doesn't have me spending double... but I am still spending at least 3500 more for blt.... so I have to figure that out.. is it worth it? Maybe.. not sure.. we really like getting 2 bedrooms and taking family or friends...

Kim;
I think a lot of us have this same ongoing internal struggle!
I have tried a couple times to get AKV-Value at the 7 month mark unsuccessfully.
To conquer this should I add on at AKV, and pay more per point & more in MF, then adding onto SSR?
Would that guarantee me the Value Studios at 11-Months? I hear on some of the posts that they are swooped up pretty quickly even at that point.
Then, to exacerbate my struggle further, 7 years after picking SSR as our home, the news of StarWars Galaxy's Edge has me wondering if I should add on at BWV!
I'm afraid my addonitis is progressing with no cure in site, aside from a huge lottery win that would enable me to buy maximum points at every DVC resort, OR just buy in at Golden Oaks & Club 23 !
I like having fellow DVCers share their perspectives, and I hope it helps you with your decision.
Be sure to let us know what you choose to do, and how it works out for you.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

OK.. so looking at the points charts... I would have to use 3 years of points if I only bought 100 to get a 1 bedroom for 6 nts at spring break or summer.. lets not talk about Christmas!! Thats the issue.... the point values are so much more.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Kim;
I think a lot of us have this same ongoing internal struggle!
I have tried a couple times to get AKV-Value at the 7 month mark unsuccessfully.
To conquer this should I add on at AKV, and pay more per point & more in MF, then adding onto SSR?
Would that guarantee me the Value Studios at 11-Months? I hear on some of the posts that they are swooped up pretty quickly even at that point.
Then, to exacerbate my struggle further, 7 years after picking SSR as our home, the news of StarWars Galaxy's Edge has me wondering if I should add on at BWV!
I'm afraid my addonitis is progressing with no cure in site, aside from a huge lottery win that would enable me to buy maximum points at every DVC resort, OR just buy in at Golden Oaks & Club 23 !
I like having fellow DVCers share their perspectives, and I hope it helps you with your decision.
Be sure to let us know what you choose to do, and how it works out for you.

Yes.! I hear you!! I own at AKV and its extremely hard to get value.. so I would not buy there for only that reason for sure I can tell you that! I know its getting harder to stay other places at 7 months.. but I would have to buy soooo many points at BLT unless I am ok with staying on those points every 3 years.... which is a little crazy considering I want to also use my extra points at HH or Aulani etc... I feel your pain... I wish the epcot resorts had longer exp dates.. I would totally buy at one of those but my kid is only 10 and I plan to own for life... and pass it down.

 

[E2ME2]

Yes.! I hear you!! I own at AKV and its extremely hard to get value.. so I would not buy there for only that reason for sure I can tell you that! I know its getting harder to stay other places at 7 months.. but I would have to buy soooo many points at BLT unless I am ok with staying on those points every 3 years.... which is a little crazy considering I want to also use my extra points at HH or Aulani etc... I feel your pain... I wish the epcot resorts had longer exp dates.. I would totally buy at one of those but my kid is only 10 and I plan to own for life... and pass it down.

I feel your pain!
Thanks for the feedback on the AKV-Value; it confirms my hesitation.
You bring up another consideration, regarding the earlier expiration date at BWV.
I'm still wondering what happened with OKW, when they extended the expiration date recently.
Does that only apply to new contracts? If I owned OKW up to the previous expiration on an older contract, would I have to repurchase points under the new expiration ??,
OR could I choose to extend as long as I continued to pay MFs ???
There goes my head again - I think I need I need an aspirin

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have owned 100 BLT points for about 6 years now. We specifically want them to book July 3 and December 30....and we usually have 2-3 days before those days. Those are black out days for TOTW Lounge. We have been in MK on those days to see the special fireworks, and it’s just too crowded. For this year we have a two bedroom for December 29,30 and on the 31, we board DCL Dream for our first NYE cruise!

Usually we head to BCV or BWV FOR July 3 and December 31 for easy access to Epcot.

Those are very specific reasons we bought BLT, and we have used them for that purpose. We have stayed at BLT without those points, but those stays are rare. Last Friday we had a one night stay in a 1 bedroom standard.

I think you should think about why you want BLT, and is there a time of the year you really really want to stay at BLT. We saw Hallowishes from TOTW last Friday, are MNSSHP’s usually in your plans?

Best wishes and pixie dust! Make a decision that’s right for you!

My DH absolutely loved everything about our stay at BLT last week. We used the location, not to go to a park, but to boat over to FW and take dinner at Trails End, and then for the fireworks.

 

[Madame]

OK.. so looking at the points charts... I would have to use 3 years of points if I only bought 100 to get a 1 bedroom for 6 nts at spring break or summer.. lets not talk about Christmas!! Thats the issue.... the point values are so much more.

Yep. That’s why we bought BCV over BLT. We can only travel during spring break, Christmas break or summer break. The points charts at other resorts (BLT, VGF, PVB) are nuts. Did I overpay at $130 for BCV with a 2042 expiry? Yep. But I would have had to buy many more, just as pricy points to get a smaller villa elsewhere.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I feel your pain!
Thanks for the feedback on the AKV-Value; it confirms my hesitation.
You bring up another consideration, regarding the earlier expiration date at BWV.
I'm still wondering what happened with OKW, when they extended the expiration date recently.
Does that only apply to new contracts? If I owned OKW up to the previous expiration on an older contract, would I have to repurchase points under the new expiration ??,
OR could I choose to extend as long as I continued to pay MFs ???
There goes my head again - I think I need I need an aspirin

I need an aspirin too! I need to learn about the OKW extension..is this the same one from long time ago or something new? I have been mia for a bit so I haven't heard about anything new but I know there are not very many extended contracts out there, not many people took advantage of it.... .. Ask that OKW question.. someone will know the answer!! Well.. I continue to ponder my situation.. and my other issue is my DH thinks we have enough points!! UGH... so its not easy for me to say, honey, I think we need to spend a good 23k more on dvc!! 10-12 much more doable!!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

Yep. That’s why we bought BCV over BLT. We can only travel during spring break, Christmas break or summer break. The points charts at other resorts (BLT, VGF, PVB) are nuts. Did I overpay at $130 for BCV with a 2042 expiry? Yep. But I would have had to buy many more, just as pricy points to get a smaller villa elsewhere.

gotcha!! man I wish those exp dates were longer!!

 

[Kim Gillihan]

We have owned 100 BLT points for about 6 years now. We specifically want them to book July 3 and December 30....and we usually have 2-3 days before those days. Those are black out days for TOTW Lounge. We have been in MK on those days to see the special fireworks, and it’s just too crowded. For this year we have a two bedroom for December 29,30 and on the 31, we board DCL Dream for our first NYE cruise!

Usually we head to BCV or BWV FOR July 3 and December 31 for easy access to Epcot.

Those are very specific reasons we bought BLT, and we have used them for that purpose. We have stayed at BLT without those points, but those stays are rare. Last Friday we had a one night stay in a 1 bedroom standard.

I think you should think about why you want BLT, and is there a time of the year you really really want to stay at BLT. We saw Hallowishes from TOTW last Friday, are MNSSHP’s usually in your plans?

Best wishes and pixie dust! Make a decision that’s right for you!

My DH absolutely loved everything about our stay at BLT last week. We used the location, not to go to a park, but to boat over to FW and take dinner at Trails End, and then for the fireworks.

Location is why I would love it.. we usually park hop but most nights since MK is open the latest end up there.... just what you said the boat ride to BR etc... but if we want 2 bed rooms... I would need too many points.. I hear you and for all reasons you mention.. it would be great! We don't have small children but love the idea of being so close to MK and on monorail etc. quick ride to Poly to eat etc. ugh..

 

[ElizabethG]

I do like that the 1-bdrm units at BLT have 2 full bathrooms. I am OK getting one of those instead of a 2-bdrm for that reason.

 

[Kim Gillihan]

I do like that the 1-bdrm units at BLT have 2 full bathrooms. I am OK getting one of those instead of a 2-bdrm for that reason.

If just my family went.. we could do a 1 bed.. I bet those are very nice!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I need an aspirin too! I need to learn about the OKW extension..is this the same one from long time ago or something new? I have been mia for a bit so I haven't heard about anything new but I know there are not very many extended contracts out there, not many people took advantage of it.... .. Ask that OKW question.. someone will know the answer!! Well.. I continue to ponder my situation.. and my other issue is my DH thinks we have enough points!! UGH... so its not easy for me to say, honey, I think we need to spend a good 23k more on dvc!! 10-12 much more doable!!

The OKW extension was done quite awhile ago - more than a decade I believe. It is no longer offered. There hasn't been any new extension offered and most feel that anything in the future is unlikely to be done.

Regarding BLT, you mention Aulani during the summer but when are you wanting to stay at BLT? 2BR's and 1BR's are easier to book and depending on your time of travel I think there's a decent chance you could book it at 7 months.